New center will be hub for those struggling with addiction

As the president of Pocatello’s Friendship Club — a safe space for those with substance abuse problems — Chris Daniels knows firsthand how tough those problems can be.

“All you have to do is read the newspaper on a daily basis and you can see the beginning of the scope of the problem,” Daniels said.

That why he became a member of the District VI Recovery Center Steering Committee, to try and create a place for recovering addicts to get put on the right path. After the committee secured the funding for the center from the state, he became a board member for the center.

The premise of the center is to be able to coordinate resources for recovering addicts. While the center will primarily try to help those just getting out of jail and in-treatment services, people who are seeking help for the first time can get help, too.

The center will serve Idaho Region 6 and will be located at 214 East Center St.

The center will provide counseling services, housing and employment help, and even transportation services. It will also host a number of support meetings, workshops and provide peer support.

Most importantly, it will refer people to services based on their specific needs.

“(The main goal is to) help them get a foot up on recovery and getting back into society,” Daniels said.

Mental health services will also be provided, since substance abuse often goes hand-in-hand with that.

Right now, the center is looking for the public’s help with some office supplies and fixtures, including desks, chairs, couches and computers. For more information you can contact the center’s secretary, Helen Lusk, at 208-221-2134.

The center is set to open on July 1.